Obama calls Uhuru, offers support to Kenya

September 22, 2013 6:15 pm

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By WAMBUI NDONGA, Kenyan military officers heading to Westgate/AFPNAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22 – United States President Barrack Obama has made a telephone call to President Uhuru Kenyatta over Saturday’s terror attack at the Westgate Shopping Mall.

Obama offered support to Kenya as it makes efforts to bring the perpetrators of the assault to justice. President Kenyatta has already said that the perpetrators will not get away with the assault on innocent Kenyans.

“As your President, as a leader and as a Kenyan, I feel the pain of every life we have lost, and share your grief at our nation’s loss. My nephew and his fiancée are among those who died in this attack. These are young, lovely people I personally knew and loved. Many of us have lost loved ones. Let us mourn them all as one nation, and keep them always in remembrance and prayer,” mourned the Kenyan Head of State.

The American President joined other world leaders to condole with Kenya following the devastating attack that is likely to leave more than the official 59 people dead and more than 175 others injured.

French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper are among those who have pledged support to Kenya.

The African Union, the United Nations and the United Nations Security Council also condemned the attack.

Harrowing tales of the events that followed the bloody attack have been highlighted over the past 48 hours. Neither women nor children were spared by the killers who went shooting at civilians indiscriminately.

About 10 to 15 attackers got into the mall before 1 pm on Saturday after accessing the building from different points.

Witness accounts indicate that the terrorists, among them women, were heavily armed with AK-47s, grenades and other weapons.

Hoteliers had also been advised to conduct a head count of their guests to make sure that of them was missing.